Celes
by Rin Willow
Summary: A girl with magical powers must collect the 5 Sacred Objects in order to save the world. A combination of Inuyasha, Circle of Magic, and The Circle Opens. With alot of my imagination thrown in.
1. The Beginning

Celes

Rin Willow

Chapter 1 

Twenty-nine years ago, a girl was born in a village of the land of Sendale. This girl was named Ginka. Ginka had brown skin and purple hair. But the strangest thing about her were her eyes. They were an even darker purple than her hair. The very night she turned five, some bandits who ran the slave market attacked her village. They were looking for girls about Ginka's age. Consequently, she was taken. Ginka had a hard life with her new owners. Whatever she did, was wrong in the eyes of her master. He would cruelly beat her when she as much as burned the soup. This went on for three years until Ginka decided to run away. She stole as much food as she could without getting caught. When her master told her to give the blacksmith a new sword order, she stole a dagger from him when he wasn't looking. She decided to make her move on Midsummer's Night, ironically, her eighth namesday. She left that night after her master and mistress were making each other deliriously happy after drinking for 6 hours straight. She stole a small pony, and rode away into the night.


	2. Captian of the Village Guard: Firestorm

Chapter 2 

After riding the pony (which she decided to name Fleetfoot) for several hours, Ginka came to another village. She was rather nervous about going in, since it is rare to see a little eight-year-old child riding a pony by herself. So, as she was trying to resolve to go in or not, she decided to read the sign that said the name of the village. It was called "Winterlake". She had just decided not to go in, when the Captain of the Village Guard arrived. The Captain was a bear of a man. He was rather tall, about 6 1/2 feet perhaps, wide shoulders, and strong muscles. On top of that, he was also extremely handsome. He had fair hair, so fair it was almost white. He wore it in spikes. However, one hank of his bangs consistently fell into his eyes. His eyes were as green as emeralds. He was known as Firestorm. Although, he saw Ginka and Fleetfoot, they tried to be inconspicuous. Unfortunately, they miserably failed. Firestorm asked Ginka what she was doing, and why she was alone.

"Sir, I am riding my dearest and only friend in the world to the city to see if I can find work. You see, I have no family. I am an orthodox." Now, of course Ginka did not mean orthodox, being eight years old, she really meant 'orphan'.

"I shall assume that you mean orphan. Would you like to learn how to use a bow and arrow set and fight with a sword? Sadly, I have no wife and no children to take my place as Captain of the Village Guard when I retire. I am in need of an apprentice and you seem like you would do well as Captain once you get older. What do you say?"

Ginka was speechless, at the same time thinking 'How random'. How had this man seen so deep inside of her heart to see her innermost desire? How could she refuse?

"Well sir I would be most grateful, but how would I learn to do womanly duties. You know like, set the table, or, or, umm, stuff like that?"

"We could ask one of the women of the village. So is it a deal?"

"Yes! Thank you so much! Fleetfoot, our journey is over! Hooray!"

Hey there Rin Willow here. :bows: I hope you all enjoyed the first two chapters of Celes, and the Saga of Ginka. If you are going to review, (and you should), i understand that some of them will be flames, but please keep them civil, polite and not too insulting. And my Muse's name is Hana, so blame her if it takes a while between chapters. i will try my utmost to get them out at least once every 2 weeks, but i might not be able to. Until Chapter 4, ciao::bows again and leaves: 


	3. The Mage Nico

Chapter 3

Ginka went to go live with Firestorm and learned the skills one would need in order to be Captain of the Village Guard. She learned how to track animals without making the slightest noise, how to shoot arrows properly, how to use a sword, and in her spare time, how to play chess and other games. The eve before her 14th namesday, Ginka was working in the smithy making her master (who had adopted her as his own daughter) a new sword for Midsummer's night. She decided to tell herself a story. As she was telling her story, a man came in the smithy unbeknownst to her. The man was about 5 feet tall (rather short for a male). He had dark blonde hair, with some reddish highlights. He had dark blue eyes, as dark as the nighttime sky. He looked like someone who spent too much time indoors studying. This man caught sight of the flames. Astonishingly, he saw pictures in the flames. Once Ginka's story was over, he told her that she had remarkable talent with Fire Magic. In fact, her magic was so strong that it seemed like he was living the story.

"Oh no sir. You must be mistaken. I do have magic, its true, but it does not have anything to do with fire at all. In fact my magic deals with almost every branch of nature _but _fire. I have magic with Water, Wind, and Earth but not Fire. I couldn't have told a Fire story."

"Little miss, you may not believe that you have magic with fire, but have you had training with the other three by the way?"

At Ginka's nod he continued.

"However, I have the rare ability to see magic as well as an abundance with the Fire branch of magic. Not only can I see that you have very powerful magic, but it is existent with all four of the branches. Now where do you live, so as I might talk to your parents?"

"I live over here with my father. But I'm telling you I don't have Fire Magic."

With that, Ginka led the man (whom we shall call Nico but was in fact Nicerlon Burningember, the famous Fire Mage) home to talk to Firestorm. Firestorm was just finishing setting the table for diner, but when he saw Nico, he set another place at the table.

"NICO! What in Celestia's green earth are you doing back here? I thought you were off to Summer Sanctuary and here you are all the way on the other side of the continent in Winterlake. Why is that?"

"Hello Firestorm. Yes I know I said I'd be gone in Summer Sanctuary for 8 years but I had a vision that someone important was coming to Winterlake so I rushed home. Seems I was right too. This little lady has extremely potent magic in all four branches, Water, Wind, Earth and Fire. She said she has had training in the first three but insists vehemently that she possesses no Fire Magic. Is that true or can you not tell?"

"I do not have Fire Magic. Firestorm had the most powerful mage-sniffer in Sotat examine me for it. She claimed she couldn't find any at all! Well except for Water, Earth and Wind." With that said, Ginka stalked out of the room to go to the stables. The two men heard her yell, "Firestorm I'm going for a ride with Fleetfoot. I'll be back in an hour."

"Are you sure she has Fire Magic, Nico? Because she's right we had Sparrow check her out and she couldn't find any." Firestorm queried.

"Firestorm, I was taught Fire Magic and how to find it by Sky Meteors himself two years before he died. In case you hadn't heard, he held the position Chief Fire Initiate at Magic University for Magically Gifted students. When he died, I became the Chief Fire Initiate. But I passed it on to my student when I got the vision. Ginka was undeniably teeming with Fire Magic when I saw her perform the most mesmerizing Fire Tale I have ever seen. And I don't generally like stories with Giants and Elves. Not to mention that Sparrow has no expertise with Fire Magic."

"I'll take that as a yes. But how am I going to find someone to teach her? And how am I going to find the time? She is my apprentice you know and she still has a lot to learn before I can retire."

"Why you old flibbertigibbet! What am I a novice? I'll teach her. I have to since I was the one who discovered her magic. I just hope you don't mind if I stay with you again."

"Not at all. Ginka is very lucky to have all four branches of magic with you as her teacher. I'll inform her when she gets back."

"You mean he was serious when he said I had Fire Magic?" Ginka asked, skeptical.

"Yes he was. Why are you so put off by fire anyway?" Firestorm inquired, inquisitively.

"It's nothing alright? I don't want to talk about it. Why do people always have to ask such stupid questions when you know I won't answer?" with that she stalked off, in a huff.


	4. Wind Magic

Chapter 4

Ginka didn't pause until she was in her beloved retreat deep within the woodland. It was a titanic white oak tree that was currently full in bloom. It was almost 500 feet tall. She climbed as high as she could, and since she was a wiry little thing, she could go just about to the top of the tree.

Once she got to the top, Ginka started to cry. All Firestorm knew of her past was that she had been separated from her parents when she was five, and had come to Sotat when she was eight and then met him. He didn't know that she had been a slave and run away when she was eight. He also didn't know that the reason she was so afraid of Fire Magic was that when she misbehaved, or failed to complete a task to their approval, her masters would torture her with their Fire Magic for hours on end. Since her Earth Magic allowed her to talk to plants, she told all of this to her tree, not discerning a silhouette at the foot of the oak that could hear every word. She also didn't notice the sinister storm clouds that began to assemble frighteningly fast. However, Firestorm, back at the smithy, did and was alarmed. He knew that the clouds had something to do with Ginka, since she was the only person in the east with enough power to summon such torrential rain and gusts in the east. In fact, he had only heard of two other people with that much power and they were far, far to the south. Firestorm did not know where Ginka had darted off to unfortunately. He was just starting to get his stuff together to search the whole forest, when Nico came running out of it.

"I know where Ginka is!" he shouted to be heard over the winds. "Follow me!"

"Thank Celestia! Is she ok?" Firestorm bellowed back.

"Yes but I don't know for how much longer! She's at the very top of a gigantic tree! She could fall! We have to hurry!"

With that, the two men ran into the forest in the direction of Ginka's haven.

Hey there, Rin Willow here::bows: OoOoOoOo cliffhanger! You know, I hate them in books I read, but they are really fun to write. I hope you aren't shaking your head at the stupidity of the story. I hope you are shaking your head at the sheer wonder and genius of... well... me::Ginka "I am shaking my head because you are silly and hyper"::Me" Very true Ginka. I am. However, I had ice-cream so I am allowed to be. So there": AHEM. Until Chapter 6 fellow Sendale lovers (and haters. But we'll ignore you) CIAO::bows again, and leaves: 


	5. The Reason for Fear

Chapter 5

"Oh crap!" Ginka shrieked, finally noticing that the tree she was perched in was swaying like a banner in a cyclone. Ginka tried to reign in her magic, but failed remarkably. By that time the storm had erupted into a hurricane. Ginka started to scream. "HELP! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!"

"GINKA!" Firestorm shouted up at her.

"Firestorm? GET ME DOWN FROM HERE! I CAN'T HOLD ON MUCH LONGER!" Ginka screamed down at him as her hold on the tree slipped. With a shriek, Ginka lost her hold on the tree and plunged down through the brush. As she fell she picked up speed, finally going so fast that when she finally did hit, she would break every bone in her body. Ginka was so terrified that she fainted. Once she was unconscious, the little hold her magic had on the storm frayed then shattered. Saying that all hell broke loose is an understatement. That also means that the little hold she had was actually quite strong. The wind howled like a thousand wolf packs at once and the rain wasn't even rain. It was a solid sheet of water being poured out of one gigantic bucket. Firestorm and Nico noticed this and were extremely worried. Ginka was still falling, until all of a sudden, she hit a huge branch. This branch was as thick as four men lying side by side. Ginka, being a 14-year-old and not fully grown, was able to lie crosswise along the branch. Since this was the position she was in when she landed, she stayed this way. Nico had seen this, but Firestorm hadn't and was panic stricken about where she was.

"Firestorm! Listen to me, will you! Ginka is all right! She landed on that monster of a branch a few minutes ago. She'll be fine. See how the sides curve up like that? They'll protect her from the wind. That tree is alive! She can talk to it and it can talk back. The tree will take care of her. WE on the other hand have no such pledge! We have got to get away from here now and wait until the storm dies down. Then we can come back for her."

"NO! She is my only daughter! I am not leaving her here, particularly up on a tree in a nor'easter! What if she gets hit by lightning?"

"Even if she does, she'll be fine. She has Wind Magic, keep in mind. It controls the weather! She sparks lightning bolts when she gets furious, right?"

"Well yes, yes she does. Alright let's get out of here."

Nico reached deep inside the core of his magic and pulled out a thread of magic. He threw it at Ginka so he would be able to find her again after the storm. The men then ran like wolves whose tails were on fire, out of the woodland back to the cottage that Firestorm and Ginka lived in.


	6. The Popular, yet Unkown Song

Chapter 6

The storm raged for two whole days before tapering off into a fine mist. The moment it began to slacken, Firestorm and Nico got everything they would need to get Ginka down from the tree, including rain gear just in case it started to rain again. Ginka was still unconscious up in the tree. Originally she had fainted because of fear, but now she was unconscious because of the physical toll the storm had taken on her. Building up a storm that immense takes a lot of Magic, and it had sapped all of her Wind Magic. That had taken all of her energy and she remained comatose. The tree had done its job well and aside from getting a little drenched, Ginka was fine. It was a good thing her Wind Magic was drained, since she was dreaming about her old life. She was dreaming that her master was drowning her, when she heard a voice call out "Ginka! Are you safe?"

"Stop it Master! Don't hurt me. I won't burn the chicken again I swear." Ginka muttered incoherently while awakening. Firestorm did not hear this as he was just starting to climb the tree, which was lucky because he would have flipped out. She woke up fully when she heard him curse because his foot had slipped.

"Firestorm?" Ginka said glancing over the edge. "Why are you climbing my tree? What's going on?"

"I'm climbing to get you down. Why did you cause that storm Ginka? What made you so distressed?" he answered when he reached where she was and clambered up onto the branch.

"I was thinking about my old life and Fire Magic." She responded, not thinking clearly.

"Why don't you like fire?"

"It's not that I don't like fire. I couldn't be a good smith if I didn't. I just don't like Fire Magic."

"But why? I don't get it. What could make you afraid of Fire Magic and not fire?"

"Can I tell you when we get back to the cottage? Please? I don't want to talk about it when I'm all grimy and soggy." Ginka implored.

Firestorm started to push the matter further, but when he saw that Ginka was close to tears again and shivering, he dropped the subject.

"All right, we'll go home, you can wash up and then we'll have some hot chocolate while you tell us your story. Ok?"

Ginka hesitated then said; "Ok."

They climbed down the soaking tree with only a few slips here and there.

"How long have I been out here?" Ginka inquired of Nico as Firestorm neared the bottom.

"Two days. You're lucky that you are merely wet."

Ginka was silent as she digested this information. Firestorm however, made enough noise to make up for her stillness as he slipped and fell to the foundation of the tree with quite a lot of curses, each in a different language. They were all quiet as they walked home, each immersed in their own thoughts. Firestorm was the first to break the silence when he said, "I'm going to run ahead and start the bath up for you, Ginka. Talk to Nico about Fire Magic. You don't have to tell us until later why you're afraid, but why don't you learn some more about it." With that he darted off towards the cottage. Nico and Ginka walked for a few more minutes in silence. Nico then began humming a tune that was very popular. Ginka surprised him by singing along, though with words Nico had never heard in any song at all:

"I look at you

Standing there, so silent and still.

In the pale light of the moon

Like a statue

No one knows your heart is

Guarded jealously.

By the forest, sky and weather

And someday, another may claim it.

With your wide eyes,

You who look so tranquil.

Only one who knows your heart

Could tell the truth.

Sadness, anger, curiosity, love

All are reflected in the purple spheres.

Like a sword, gleaming, cold, humming softly

You stand, waiting patiently.

No one knows for what you wait.

You least of all.

It could arrive in the breaking of the dark,

Or in the silence of the twilight."

When Ginka had finished singing, Nico remarked, "You have a beautiful voice. I've never heard those words. Did you make them up?"

"No, my mother taught it to me when I was four. That's the only thing I have that reminds me of her. She said it was about me since I loved the forest, the sky, and the weather. I was always silent about what I was feeling, even when I was upset. I forced myself to remember the words so I would never forget her and papa. I miss them."

"Isn't Firestorm your father?"

"Not biologically. He adopted me a few years ago, when I turned 11."

"You know that if you don't learn to control your Fire Magic it will eventually break out of your control? You could critically harm someone that way."

"I know. I guess you are going to teach me how right?"

"Yes. But first I have to learn why you are so fearful, so I can help you get over your fear."

"I'm going to tell you and Firestorm after I get cleaned up."

"Very well."

By this time they had reached the cottage. Ginka ran inside to take a bath, since they could see the smoke and steam rising from the chimney. Nico went into the living room, which Ginka liked to call her Sitting Room, and found Firestorm reading a small leather bound tome. When Firestorm saw Nico, he put aside the book, and asked if they had talked about Fire Magic at all.

"A bit. She said she would let me teach her once I knew why she was so afraid of it."

"You take it as an insult that she doesn't like Fire Magic, don't you."

This was a statement not a question but Nico nodded.

"She obviously has a good reason to be afraid. I mean she can't have just decided out of the blue one day 'Hey, I'm going to be afraid of Fire Magic from now on.' Right?" Nico observed. Firestorm nodded in agreement.

The two men heard Ginka coming down the stairs and stopped talking. When she came into the Sitting Room, they both gasped. Ginka was wearing a pale lavender dress that whispered when she moved. She had taken her hair out of its braids so it could dry, and it hung in curls down her back. The dress had small flowers sewn into the hem and the edges of the sleeves. She looked striking. She also looked scared and nervous.

"Please don't interrupt me once I've started. It's hard enough to tell this story without being bothered." Ginka whispered once she had sat down. They nodded.

Then Ginka told them the complete story of her life up until the time when she met Firestorm.

Hey there, Rin Willow here::bows: So there, the cliffhanger is over. That wasn't so bad, was it? I am going to belive that if you are reading this, it means you really like my story and want me to keep submitting the chapters of it. Well, hang in there, because the next chapter is LONG and WEIRD. so if you still like it after that, i take my hat off to you. Or i would if i had a hat. :note to self: buy a hat to take off.: So until Chapter 8, CIAO::bows again and leaves for parts unknown: 


	7. The Truth about Nico

Chapter 7

Once Ginka finished her tale, there was total silence for a moment. Firestorm was digesting what he had heard. Nico, who had been at the foot of the tree, was just thinking. Ginka was so nervous with anticipation of how the men would react that the silence screamed at her. Firestorm was the first to break the stillness.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner, Ginka? Were you afraid that I might do the same to you?"

"I guess I just wanted to live a normal life and be normal. I guess I was afraid that you might force me to go back. Do you know what the penalty for runaway slaves is down there? A full year of torture by your masters and then another year by the state. Then, if you are still alive, you are collared and shackled and submerged in a 25 foot deep pool filled with acid that melts you within five minutes but makes each second a living hell and seem like an eternity to die. If anyone is caught trying to save you, they get the same punishment, only the pool they are tossed into is not filled with acid, it's filled with water. That punishment isn't as painful. So yes I was scared but not of you." Ginka said all this with a straight face, though her eyes were ancient and seemed to stare into space. She had also said this in a monotone as though she wasn't really thinking about what she was saying.

"I thought several times about just turning myself in, I was so weary from all my masters' beatings and tortures, that I was physically sick, and thought that dying in a vat full of acid might be a noble death. I also thought that people might be inspired to revolt and escape because an eight year old and a girl on top of that, had escaped from her master, and almost gotten away before being recaptured. But then I hit myself mentally and said, 'you're so close to freedom. What the heck are you going to go back for? You won't be put right away in the vat; it's two full _years_ of torture before they melt you down. Keep going and make yourself a better and safer life.' So I listened to my inner voice, and kept going and met you Firestorm." When she had finished her discourse, Ginka burst into tears.

"The whole time I lived here with you, I was terrified that you would find out and turn me in, or that someone would find me and bring me back to die. I don't want to die. I had nightmares almost every single night for 6 years. I tried my best to be good and learn as quickly as possible so that if you did find out, you wouldn't want to bring me back. When you made me your daughter, I was so happy. I started to hope that if you found out, I could stay here."

Ginka was crying so hard that she could hardly speak properly. Firestorm pulled her onto his lap and hugged her hard. She buried her face in his shoulder and sobbed her fear and worry out. Firestorm and Nico shared a glance of mutual pity and remorse for the girl.

"Ginka, if Firestorm had found out, I don't think it would have made any difference whether or not you were his daughter. I have known him since I was born, and I know he would never turn an ex-slave over to the authorities. He would feel horrible about it. Besides that, I can tell he loves you." Nico said sympathetically. He knew what it was like to live in constant fear of someone or something.

"When I was about your age, my friends and I were out in the forest. Not the one that you were in earlier, but one on the other side of the village. This village used to be surrounded by forest. Anyway, my friends were joking that Fire Magic was just a toy for Emperors and Kings and that it had no real useful purpose. Well, to make a long story short, I got very mad and torched a tree with my magic. The blaze escalated until the whole forest on that side of the village was aflame. My friends and I sprinted out of that forest so fast, it was like the place was… well it _was_ on fire. The fire got so out of control that our Water Mage could not extinguish it and she ended up dying. The cottages in the village caught fire and many people either died from intensive burns from the fire or smoke inhalation. My friends and I vowed not to tell anyone, but I was still perpetually terrified that someone would find out and I would be punished. Finally I couldn't bear the worry and fear, and went to go tell the Earth Mage that I had started the terrible fire that had destroyed so many lives. He just looked at me and said, 'I have known that fact for a very long time. I was merely waiting for you to come forward and tell me yourself." I felt like such an idiot. However, after a long talk with him, I realized that my fears were irrational and foolish. I walked out of that session feeling very relived and happy, even though I was punished and was not allowed to use my magic without a certified adult until that adult felt that I had learned enough self-control. That is why I went to Magic U., to learn self-control. I have not only gained self-control, but my power has grown such that I am now one of the strongest Fire Mages in the world. I believe the only one who is stronger than I is King Hojou."

Ginka had listened to his tale enraptured. When he was finished, she dried her eyes and said to Firestorm and Nico, "Thank you for understanding. Nico, you're right, I do feel a lot better now. Thank you."

"Ginka would you like some hot chocolate?" Firestorm asked.

Ginka merely nodded.

"Okay, Nico would you go draw water from the well out back please?"

"I most certainly will."


	8. The Mysterious Hana

Chapter 8

While the three were drinking their hot chocolate, Ginka heard her friend, Hana coming up the lane to their front door. A moment later, the doorbell rang. Firestorm's doorbell was an interesting and unique doorbell. It had a voice. When someone pushed the button, the doorbell said, 'Quit pushing my buttons so hard! Firestorm! Ginka! You have visitors!' Since Firestorm had never been married, he had made the voice female. The mere fact that the doorbell was so vulgar merely added to the hilarity of it. Ginka got up politely and ran to the door and virtually threw it open.

"Hana! You're back! Whoa you look great!" Hana had gone on a vacation with her fiancée down south to the capital, where the king and queen lived. Hana normally had very pale skin, like someone who spent too much time indoors reading, but now she was exceptionally brown. This made her blonde hair look very exotic, which in turn made Hana look fabulous. Hana had dragon's eyes, meaning they had slit pupils and changed color when her mood changed. When she was happy they were a vibrant green. Hana usually had dirty blonde hair, but like her skin it had changed color. However, unlike her skin it did not get darker. Instead, the sun had bleached it until it was almost white. Hana was the same size as Ginka in terms of height. Hana was extremely strong and thin. She was 15. The age that girls found jobs and mates was 16, so Hana was getting close. To make her seem even more exotic, Hana was wearing a green belly shirt, and a green tie-dye wrap around skirt.

"You look upset Ginka. What happened since I was gone?" Hana had a beautiful melodious voice that was surprisingly deep for a girl. If Hana weren't going to school to be a teacher, she would have been a singer and become famous. Hana could sing like a nightingale.

"Oh nothing much. I missed you though."

"Didja find a boyfriend yet?" Hana said laughingly.

"No, but this new family is going to buy a house at the end of town and they have a really cute son who looks like he's 15 or so. I think their family name is Celes or something like that. Celes Ginka. How does that sound?"

"Fabulous, girl. When are they going to move in?"

"The week after Midsummer. Maybe I can show him around and teach him the ropes that week."

"I'll be rooting for you."

"Thanks. So how are things going with you and Chris? Have you decided on a date yet?"

"Yep. Well, I have I just need to tell him and make sure its ok with him."

"You know what day, yet he doesn't? Sometimes I just can't understand you, Hana."

"I never expected you to." The two girls stared at each other for a moment and then burst out laughing.

"I missed you Hana. So how was your trip? Did you get to see the king and queen? Did you bring back souvenirs? Tell me about everything!" Ginka demanded excitedly.

"Whoa there girl! Calm down! We had a great time, yes we saw the king and queen, and yes we brought stuff back for everyone. You know, the queen looks exactly like you, only older. You both have the same eyes, the same hair! She is a little taller than you though. How odd is that?"

"Really? Do you think that the king and queen could be my…no that's totally impossible." Ginka concluded.

Hey there, Rin Willow here:bows: My brain is frazzled right now, so I'm just going to say...REVIEW! Thank you. Until Chapter 10 :bows and leaves for more parts unknown: 


	9. About Boys

Chapter 9

Shortly after Hana left, Firestorm called Ginka inside.

"Ginka, I want you to fix up the guest room for Nico."

"Sure." Ginka went inside and walked up the stairs to the hall closet, where she pulled out a pair of sheets and a pillowcase. She went to the guest room and started making the bed. She was just wrestling with a particularly obstinate sheet when Nico came in and grabbed the other end.

"So who was your friend? Is she taken?" Nico asked with a teasing glint in his eye.

"Her name is Hana and she is getting married soon. She and her promised have been best friends since they were 11 or something like that. They met in chorus. She is 15. Hana's going to school to become a teacher. She's obsessed with history, and always got perfect scores on the tests in that class." Ginka said, while putting the pillow in its case. She completed that task and started dusting.

"Do you know of anyone that you want to marry?" Nico asked, curious.

"Well, personally, I think that all of the boys in this village are stupid, immature, or boring. But if I were to go on cuteness, since I know nothing about him, I'd say that that new boy who is moving in soon would definitely get first place." Ginka said, grinning with a mischievous glint in her emerald eyes.

"Let me phrase that differently. What is your type of guy like?" Nico questioned.

"I haven't really thought about it, but if I had to choose, I think I would go for the kind of guy who is always willing to listen to what I say, yet doesn't hesitate to give his opinion. I guess I like guys who are willing to do anything, within the law of course, to win the girl he wants. I want someone who is kind and caring. Namely, someone who doesn't, and never will exist. So I'll go for the new kid on the block. He's cute and I like him." With that Ginka finished the room and went to go clean her own room.

"So it's the guy next door thing, huh." Nico mused to himself.


	10. The Dream

Chapter 10

Ginka was walking through the forest alone. She wondered where she was since the forest she was in was not the one outside of the village. Ginka also wondered how she got there, since the last she had checked, she was in her room after the Midsummer celebrations. She decided to go ask a tree for directions. When she asked the nearest one, it's trunk rotated around. Ginka screamed. The tree actually had a face.

"Girl, why ye be screamin?" She-He-It? asked. "Have ye never seen a face before?"

"Uh no I mean yes, just not on a tree." Ginka replied frightened.

"**Tree**? Ye think _**I**_ am a tree? I am the Goshinbuku." The tree replied.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what goshinbuku means. Would you mind telling me, please?" No matter how scared Ginka became, she was always polite to strangers.

"Ye don't know………how much has that dratted man taught ye anyways? Goshinbuku is a god tree. Or in my case a goddess tree. I am the oldest tree in the Celestial Lands. That makes me a goddess. Some call me the Mother Tree. Others the Celestial Tree. Tell me that my idiot vessel, Firestorm hasn't taught ye about Gods and Goddesses."

"You are the Mother Tree? I am sorry; I haven't shown you the proper respect at all!" Ginka said, awed, frightened and ashamed all at once.

"Well I'll say one thing about ye. He did teach ye proper manners. Anyway, what was it ye wanted to ask?" the abrupt change of subject left Ginka flustered for a second.

"What-Oh yeah. Where am I? Do you know Firestorm?" she asked.

"Yes I know Firestorm; he's one of my chosen ones. To answer ye other question, ye are currently in the Celestial Lands, but ye are in spirit form." Celestial Tree answered.

"Celestial Tree, what am I doing here?" Ginka asked, confused.

"It will soon get bothersome to have to repeat Celestial Tree whenever ye address me. Call me Celestia for now. As to what ye are doing here, we Gods and Goddesses are going to give ye some help. Ye be approaching difficult time in life. I canne tell ye more than that, but I will tell ye this. As I hope ye already know, the Celestial Lands are divided into five parts. Air, Water, Earth, Fire, and Darkness. What ye may not know is the opposing strengths and weaknesses of the five. The Three Complementary Pairs are Air and Fire, Earth and Water and finally Darkness and Celestial. The Three Opposing Pairs are Air and Earth, Fire and Water, and last Darkness and Celestial. Ye may ask how can Darkness and Celestial be Complementary as well as Opposing. Well, the two hate each other with a passion. However, in times of dire need, like the ending of the world, the two will work together to dispel the threat. It is times like those when it would be a good idea to be on the side of good. Either that or dead. Some people believe that Darkness is evil. I hope that Firestorm has at least told ye that is not true." Ginka nodded.

"Darkness in some places is called the Realm of the Dead. This is also not true. Dead people go to the section that most relates to the season they were born in. The year begins with the Water season, or planting. That spans across March and April. Then comes Wind, which contains the Midsummer Festival, when you celebrate the days getting longer. The months in it are May and June. Following Wind is Earth, July and August. The festival for good growth occurs during this time. Fourth is Fire, the harvest time. Fire occurs during September and October. Last is Darkness. Darkness covers December through February. The Midwinter Festivals occur during Darkness. Then you have your festivals to bring the sun back to the lands.

What month ye were born in, determines what section of the Celestial Lands ye go to. I cannae believe that idiot Firestorm didn't tell ye that!" Celestia finished her tirade.

"Well, he told me some of that, but not all of it. I found it highly educational and interesting." Ginka said flatteringly. After all, it was always a good idea to flatter a goddess. "But why am I here? Is there a reason for it, Celestia?"

Celestia seemed slightly appeased. "Ye are here to perform a quest for me. The Five Guardians (including me) got together and decided it was time for the Sacred Objects to be together again. So once ye find the Sacred Earth Object, ye will be visited by the other four Guardians to find the other four Sacred Objects. When together, the Sacred Objects are a highly formidable fighting force, not to be reckoned with. It is up to ye whether to gather the Objects or not. Although if ye do not, the whole world may well be destroyed. Think carefully."

"What exactly is the Sacred Earth Object? And what are the Sacred Objects?" Ginka asked, befuddled.

"I don't know what the other four Sacred Objects are, but the Earth Object is a shield. That is all I know of it. Ye must find it by the time the seasons change. If ye don't not only will ye have to find this Object, but ye will have to find the Fire Object as well. Ye only have two months, so work fast!" Celestia replied.

"Two months! Why so little time? Where was it last? Why me?" Ginka asked in a rush.

"Ye only have two months because in two months the seasons change from Earth to Fire and then the Sacred Earth Shield will have to be found along with the Sacred Fire object. The Shield was last seen in Terracana. As to why ye, ye will have help, but not from people you'd expect. The people who will help you are going to be Mikage Hana, soon to be Trios Hana and Celes Loroko as well as someone unexpected. You must get them to travel with you to Terracana at once."

"Hana? Hana is going to come with me? And the new kid on the block? But Hana is getting married soon. She can't go wandering all over the country with me!" Ginka said, stunned.

"She will. I will talk to them both in dreams tonight. Do not worry. Tomorrow, go talk with them and prepare to leave the next day. Good night and good luck, my child."


End file.
